


here's why

by FrazzledDragon



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi Keiji is a Good Friend, Akaashi gets a bit worked up, Akaashi is very gentle with Bokuto, Bokuto Koutarou is a sweetheart, Gen, Short One Shot, no editing we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27658888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrazzledDragon/pseuds/FrazzledDragon
Summary: As passionately and honestly as Akaashi will critique Bokuto, he will also defend him with that same passion.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji & Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	here's why

**Author's Note:**

> i literally wrote this in like... thirty minutes so it's probs a lil shaky but the idea hit me like a truck and so i wrote it :) it's real short and has Mildly Feral Akaashi (i adore my feral son) and Bokuto bein' a sweetheart.
> 
> Hope you like it, and that you're having a good day! :D

“Why is Bokuto even the captain? Is it just because he’s one of the top aces in the country?”

“Yeah… He’s kinda lame. He’s not even a good captain. Akaashi-san does all the work and captaining. Why isn’t Akaashi-san captain?”

“I hear it’s because Bokuto whined and complained his way into the captain’s position, and Akaashi was assigned vice to ensure some actual captaining got done.”

Akaashi whips around to the first years who spoke fast enough that every vertebrae in his neck cracks. Konoha sighs deeply.

“Bokuto-san is  _ not _ the captain because he’s the ace,” Akaashi says with a murderous calm. He does not miss the way the first year and his friends pale. “Bokuto-san is not the captain because he is the best player on the team. He is not the captain because he is naive and friendly. He is not the captain because he has the most stamina, or because he is the most powerful, or because he can jump the highest. If you think that is why Bokuto-san was chosen by last year’s third years, by our coaches, and by the second and third years of this year, you are sorely mistaken.”

“Here we go,” Konoha whispers, because Bokuto himself walks into the locker room just as Akaashi opens his mouth to speak again.

“Bokuto-san is our captain because he is, easily, the best choice for the position. Yes, he is bright, and strong, and talented. Yes, he is well-liked and well-known in Japan for his skill. But that is not why he’s captain. He’s our captain because, above all else, he is reliable. There is not one team on this earth that intimidates him. Every strong player, or strong team we encounter only riles him up more, pushes him to try even harder. He does not doubt himself. He does not doubt his team. He is our captain, first years, because he can, and will, only lead us higher and higher. There are places we would never be able to reach without him, and he doesn’t even brag about that. All he cares about is continuing to play, continuing to work to reach the stars.

“The fact that you don’t understand that and can’t recognize that in him is a sign of naivete and a lack of intelligence on your part. I suggest you spend less time judging Bokuto-san in order to feed your own egos and self-importance and instead observe him. He is an excellent leader, you’ll find, and a powerful role model. Just because he has his downs to pair with his ups does not, in any way, make him any less remarkable as a leader, and I will  _ not _ ,” he stresses this word to ensure the trembling first years understand just how serious he is, “tolerate your bashing him. You are his teammates. You are his kouhai. And above all, he is your captain. You will show him the respect that he deserves and is due to him as your captain, especially considering the three of you are hardly benchwarmers, and he’s been in the starting line-up since his first year here. I am not the least bit afraid to take this up with Coach Yamji, and you will find that he will take my side. You will find yourself out of the club before you blink.”

The first years squeak out apologies and run for the hills.

Akaashi takes a deep, satisfied breath and turns back to his locker.

A glance at Bokuto shows that he is completely shell-shocked.

“I apologize, Bokuto-san. I had no intention of letting you see that.”

Bokuto squawks. “Akaashi!” He blurts, actually pronouncing his name correctly, which leads Akaashi to turn to look at him. “Do… Do you… actually… you know… believe all of that?”

Akaashi meets his gaze and holds it firmly. “Yes, Bokuto-san. I would not have bothered to say it if I did not mean it. You are incredible and I will not let their insecurities regarding their own skill levels manifest themselves in a way that has the potential to hurt your feelings. They are not as good as you, and if they can’t accept that on their own, I have no problem telling them so until they understand.”

Bokuto  _ gapes.  _ “Akaashi,” he breathes.

Akaashi is a little weirded out by the fact that Bokuto has said his name correctly now, not once but twice. “Yes, Bokuto-san?”

His eyes are watering. “You… You really did that… for me?”

“Of course, Bokuto-san. You are my best friend. You have always done the same for me, have you not?”

He had. Bokuto had protected and defended him and his skill in his own way for the entirety of the time he had known him. There was not a student in Fukurodani high school who dared speak ill of him. For crying out loud, Bokuto had broken one kid’s nose for implying Akaashi was simply a brown-nosing suck-up and had no real talent or intelligence of his own.

Akaashi wasn’t nearly so physical a person. He was not in the habit of instigating physical contact of any kind. But he knew how to barb his words and take people apart that way. He knew how to read people, how to find weaknesses and strengths and how to use them to his advantage.

So, when someone threatened Bokuto?

He made sure his words were sharp and acidic and painful. He would not hit them, but he would make them wish that’s all he did.

Bokuto bursts out sobbing, rushing forward to wrap Akaashi in his giant arms. 

Akaashi sighs - not without a struggle; Bokuto hugs like a python - and twines his arms around Bokuto in turn. Though Bokuto can’t see it, there’s the smallest of smiles on his face. “Bokuto-san, I did not intend to make you cry.”

“I… I…” he sniffles, “I didn’t know you… you cared so much about me!”

Akaashi gives him a small squeeze, aware of the eyes of their teammates on them. “Of course I care about you, Bokuto-san. You are my best friend. I will not see you  _ bullied _ by your kouhai. You are too good of a person and too talented of a player.”

Bokuto just sobs even harder, squeezing Akaashi even tighter against his chest. “Thank you!” He blubbers, and Akaashi’s smile grows the tiniest bit. “You’re the  _ best, _ Akaashi!”

“Anytime, Bokuto-san. You are the best as well. If you ever wonder about my feelings, you may always ask me.”


End file.
